When The Bear dropped on Hulu, I tuned in solely to see more of Jeremy Allen White — an actor I’d first come to love for his role in Shameless. My kitchen skills are embarrassingly lacking, and I had little interest in anything culinary-related. But I quickly realized The Bear is so much more than a show about cooking and restaurants.
I was captivated by the raw, intense emotions, complex family (and found family) dynamics, and themes of burnout, healing, and purpose. Like most viewers, I flew through both seasons of the series, and then went on a hunt for something to fill the void. As an Everand writer and avid reader, the obvious answer is books like The Bear.
These memoirs, novels, and cookbooks (including some seen on chef Carmy’s bookshelf) include stories of life in the kitchen and evoke similar emotions as the show, making them ideal books for fans of The Bear. My personal favorites are Number One Chinese Restaurant and anything by the late, great Anthony Bourdain.
1. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
It’s hard not to draw parallels between the character Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) and Bourdain: Both are rough-around-the-edges with an indefinable air of charisma. And, of course, have culinary skills most of us only dream of.
When Bourdain’s memoir came out in 2000, it shocked the world with its behind-the-scenes stories of life in the kitchen — always chaotic and often scandalous. It also deals with heavy themes like addiction and mental health, making it an ideal book to read if you love The Bear.
2. Life, on the Line by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas
After winning several awards and being named one of the best new chefs in America by Food & Wine, Achatz was at the top of his game. Then life took a surprising turn when he was diagnosed with tongue cancer, which deeply affected his sense of taste.
He and his partner, Nick Kokonas, share Achatz’s empowering journey of how he went on to beat the odds. Achatz’s restaurant, Alinea, consistently tops lists as one of the best restaurants in Chicago.
3. Taste by Stanley Tucci
Consider Tucci’s book an invitation to his dinner table. Pull up a chair as the Big Night and Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy star shares the stories — and recipes — of the food that shaped his life.
Learn how meals connect him to the people he loves, from his Italian family (like the Berzattos in The Bear) to his British wife to his Hollywood co-stars.
4. Julia Child by Laura Shapiro
Julia Child was a trailblazing chef who brought gourmet techniques into home kitchens everywhere, showing Americans that cooking should be easy and fun.
This delightful biography traces Child’s journey from what Shapiro calls “California party girl” to World War II spy to professionally trained French chef. Child inspired countless other cooks (including Chef Carmy, no doubt) with books like Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
5. The Apprentice by Jacques Pépin
Dubbed “the best chef in America” by Julia Child, Pépin is a cook known for his ingenuity, creativity, and famous dishes, like Maman’s cheese soufflé.
From surviving war-torn France as a young child to becoming Charles de Gaulle’s personal chef, Pépin has thus far lived an incredible life. The memoir also includes his all-time favorite recipes perfected after decades of life in the kitchen.
6. The Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman
If you feel called to follow Carmy’s footsteps into the kitchen after binging The Bear, read this insider’s account of what culinary school is really like. Journalist Ruhlman earns his chops at the Culinary Institute of America and reveals not how the sausage is made, but how the sausage makers are made.
7. Nobu by Nobu Matsuhisa
French cuisine has long been the gold standard, but more and more foodies, food critics, and world travelers are recognizing Japan as an icon on the world’s culinary stage.
Matsuhisa (better known as “Chef Nobu”) played a huge role in this evolution thanks to his world-famous Japanese fusion restaurants. Learn about Japanese cuisine and culture, plus Matsuhisa’s personal journey to becoming one of the most notable restaurateurs in the world.
8. Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
Number One Chinese Restaurant is a dark comedy about a family-run establishment featuring sibling rivalry, strained family relationships, tenured-yet-chaotic staff members, and an overqualified head chef. Sound familiar?
Li’s novel reveals the back-of-house dramas and tensions at the Beijing Duck House — making this an ideal read as you await a new season of The Bear.
9. The Dishwasher by Stéphane Larue
Larue’s eponymous protagonist Stéphane struggles with addiction, debt, and adulthood in general, so he takes a dishwashing job at a restaurant in Montréal, where the environment will certainly remind you of The Bear.
According to Kirkus, this novel, originally published in French, “captures a singular voice as well as the blood, sweat, and tears of life in the trenches of a restaurant kitchen.”
10. Down and Out In Paris and London by George Orwell
In the Paris portion of this story, the unnamed narrator is broke and adrift, leading him to find back-of-house work in a hotel restaurant. There, he endures grueling hours and dangerous conditions alongside colorful kitchen staff led by tyrannical chefs.
Down and Out in Paris and London is a fictionalized version of Orwell’s life before he went on to write classics like Animal Farm and 1984.
11. Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bourdain
Along with memoirs, travelogs, and TV shows like No Reservations, Bourdain also forayed into fiction.
Bone in the Throat is a mystery novel that largely unfolds in — where else? — a restaurant. Featuring family entanglements (including money owed to an uncle) and addiction, this darkly funny crime thriller packs several similarities to The Bear.
12. Matty Matheson by Matty Matheson
Maybe you’ve watched episodes of Cookin’ Somethin’ w/ Matty Matheson on YouTube or eaten at Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club in Toronto. Or, perhaps you’re most familiar with this chef from watching The Bear, where he guest stars as the restaurant’s handyman (he’s also a producer on the show).
Regardless, you’ll undoubtedly find plenty of laughs and culinary inspiration in his cookbook slash memoir, in which Matheson delivers stories from growing up in Nova Scotia alongside delectable recipes for Lobster Pie, Molasses Bread Pudding, and more.
13. Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson
Robertson, a James Beard Award winner, co-owns San Francisco’s wildly popular Tartine Bakery. He shares bread recipes developed through decades of study in the U.S. and France, along with personal stories of working in the kitchen.
Robertson’s dedication to excellence is both inspiring and infectious. Look closely while watching season one and you’ll notice Tartine Bread on chef Carmy’s bookshelf.
14. Ratio by Michael Ruhlman
Another cookbook from The Bear, this title helps home cooks master the foundational ratios in everything from sweets to sauces.
“Having a ratio in hand is like having a secret decoder ring that frees you from the tyranny of recipes,” says celebrity chef Alton Brown of Ruhlman’s book. Learn these foundational formulas, explained in depth with plenty of examples, before embarking on your own kitchen explorations.
15. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
If The Bear has you craving fresh flavors but you’re still a novice cook, I’ve got great news: Creating delicious meals isn’t as complex as you think, as long as you understand the four key elements.
You guessed them — salt, fat, acid, and heat. Nosrat’s signature warmth and approachability (accompanied by Wendy MacNaughton’s gorgeous, whimsical illustrations) transforms stale recipes and kitchen procedures into a culinary adventure. Follow up this read with the Netflix series by the same name.
16. Everyone is Italian on Sunday by Rachael Ray
Celebrity chef Ray pays homage to her Italian heritage with a volume full of traditional and modern takes on mouth-watering dishes. Start with ratatouille frittata for brunch, try your hand at cod saltimbocca for lunch, and end the day with a grapefruit martini, Italian pork roast, and pignoli cookies.
17. Iconic Chicago Dishes, Drinks and Desserts by Amy Bizzarri
Chicago’s culinary scene takes center stage in The Bear, particularly in season two as chef Sydney Adamu (played by Ayo Edebiri) seeks inspiration from an array of fine-dining and hole-in-the-wall restaurants.
Bizzarri’s book explores the history of some of the city’s most iconic bites, transporting you to the Windy City with immersive descriptions of Chicago-style dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and beyond.
18. Red Meat Republic by Joshua Specht
The main attraction at the Berzatto’s “The Original Beef of Chicagoland” is obvious, and it’s clear why restaurants like it thrive in the real world: America loves red meat.
Specht’s book delivers a thorough, fascinating, and sometimes disturbing history behind the nation’s beef industry, with some of the most pivotal moments unfolding in Chicago.
19. Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski
Wait — what’s a book about basketball doing on this list? If you’ll recall, Leading with the Heart is a book mentioned in The Bear throughout season two. Chef Sydney connects with Coach K’s lessons on leadership, teamwork, and perseverance, which can be applied to any area of life (including in the kitchen).
